Deck building challenge

[neopium]

Hi everyone,

I have a challenge for you guys.

Do you have ideas to build a competitive deck based on either Bilbo, Bearer of Things Burgled or Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets.

I don't say the deck has to win tournaments, but it should not be ridiculous

With Bilbo (solo?), Consorting with wizards comes to mind, some sort of choke with a pumped up Bilbo that cannot be overwelm unless a minion is 24 or something. But as it gives very few twilight, such a minion would be very hard to play... Of course, you have to find an effective way to get rid of the burdens...

For Smeagol, his capacity to discard minions in the regroup phase is interesting, but I never saw it working properly...

[Ringbearer]

movie solo smeagol isengard men

Ring-bearer: Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets
Ring: The One Ring, Such a Weight to Carry

Adventure deck:
Isengard Ruined
King's Tent
Beacon of Minas Tirith
Osgiliath Fallen
Pelennor Flat
Minas Tirith First Circle
Ruined Capitol
Watchers of Cirith Ungol
Haunted Pass

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Faramir, Son of Denethor
1x Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence
2x Faramir's Bow
2x Gondorian Sword
4x Clever Hobbits
4x Nasty
4x Not Listening
4x Still Far Ahead
4x Power According to His Stature
2x Don't Look at Them
4x Never
4x Poor Wretch

Shadow Draw Deck:
2x Agents of Orthanc
1x Grima, Chief Counselor
3x Grima, Wormtongue
4x Rohirrim Traitor
4x Saruman, Black Traitor
4x Unferth, Grima's Bodyguard
2x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
2x Saruman's Staff, Wizard's Device
4x Men Will Fall
2x Banished
4x Desertion
4x Twisted Tales

Here's my Solo smeagol I use on Gemp. Shadow is just a fun thing, its not working that well but I didnt have time to cook up another one.

[neopium]

Thanks, nice

[neopium]

Saruman's power is very deadly I guess...

[neopium]

Have you ever thought of using Don't follow the lights?

[Ringbearer]

No. Its more effective to use the gametext of Smeagol. Also Power is deadly, but uruks in movie just roll over dead, they lose to almost everything.

[neopium]

Great, thanks for sharing your deck

Anyone with Bilbo?

[Kralik]

I saw an amazing Bilbo deck some time ago on GCCG... it made extensive use of Hobbit Allies/Conditions and this event that gives you +1 strength for every card in play. Don't recall what it was though... maybe someone should make it.

[Cw0rk]

I saw an amazing Bilbo deck some time ago on GCCG... it made extensive use of Hobbit Allies/Conditions and this event that gives you +1 strength for every card in play. Don't recall what it was though... maybe someone should make it.

So Fair, So Desperate and Chance Observation?

[Kralik]

Ah, the card was Chance Observation, but So Fair, So Desperate is similar. With the right support (Everyone Knows) it was a fun deck to see.

[neopium]

Interesting...

However So fair, so desperate and everyone knows require unbound hobbits, how could they work with Bilbo ring bearer?

[Kralik]

Chance Observation was being used with Bilbo; the rest of the deck used Hobbits companions and allies. There were enough of them that Chance Observation was quite potent (maybe Str+8 or more?)

[Zurcamos]

Okay, a "solo" deck with 3 companions isn't any more solo than a deck with 9.  Simply calling it one doesn't make it one.  I take it the following is the closest thing to a working actual Solo Smeagol, but it can't survive (I've played a similar one, and it didn't go so well for me)?

Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets
The One Ring, Such a Weight to Carry

4x Clever Hobbits
4x Nasty
4x Not Listening
4x Still Far Ahead
4x Power According to His Stature
2x Don't Look at Them
4x Never
4x Poor Wretch

[neopium]

I didn't necessary ask for a "Solo" deck, but for a deck centered around Bilbo or Smeagol as ring bearers.

I just went through all cards in the movie block, and what I think could be interesting cards for a real Bilbo Solo deck are:

Allies:
Bounder
Hobbit Party Guest

In addition to their special abilities that are very useful, these allies add Hobbits to spot for Chance Observation and you can use them with A Marvel to pump Bilbo. They are not unique, thus you can play up to 4 each.

I also thought about Goldberry, River-daughter and Tom Bombadil, The Master but they are really too expensive for such a deck, unless you have cards to remove twilight, like the Gaffer's pipe with other pipes/pipeweeds. Pipeweeds are great because they are possessions, much harder to discard than conditions, but they take a lot of room.

Possessions:
Brace of Coneys (to remove the burdens added each turn)
Hobbit Sword
Orc Armor

Conditions:
O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!
The Tale of the Great Ring
Consorting With Wizards
Stone Trolls
Cliffs of Emyn Muil

Events:
Chance Observation
Halfling Deftness
Hobbit Appetite
Power According to His Stature

Clearly, this lacks a lot of burden removal... And maybe recycling of essential cards like A Marvel or Chance Observation. Birthday present? Adds even more burdens.

You would also need to draw as quickly as possible Consorting with Wizards to make Bilbo invincible...
For that, there is also the possibility to "cheat", play Gandalf, Leader of men and Sam, SOH in the starting fellowship and fetch those cards with saved from the fire... But this adds even more cards to choose from...

Ideas?

[Zurcamos]

I didn't necessary ask for a "Solo" deck, but for a deck centered around Bilbo or Smeagol as ring bearers.

...And I didn't say you did either; I just perked up when I saw "Solo Smeagol" brought up.  My best BoGS deck is definitely my Ringbound Rangers one, though the Smeagol + 2x DLaT in mine can easily be switched out for Frodo + 2x BotEL/Hobbit Sword (and made into a Towers Standard deck, if desired) without major repercussions, so I wouldn't say it's centered around him.

I love the Lone Bilbo ideas!  I haven't tried one yet myself.  I have BoTB as Ringbearer in a Hobbit and DotW deck that is fun and competitive in my Meta (I play mostly in paper).  Exerting Bilbo bearing CwW or Tom Bombadil for NFFatRoD is pretty fun.